Nothing Like You and I
by Expectance
Summary: Young and in love with his best friend since he was young, Sirius Black never realized the repercussions of these feelings and how far he would have to go for her. SBOC.
1. Sixth Year

**Nothing Like You and I**

**Chapter I – Sixth Year**

Hello all! Here's another story, with a (hopefully) interesting plot!

_Young and in love with his best friend since he was young, Sirius Black never realized the repercussions of these feelings and how far he would have to go for her. SBOC._

* * *

"James Potter, you disgusting prat! Get away from me!" came the screech from a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. A few seconds passed and a furious looking red-headed girl came bursting out of a compartment, storming down the hall. A blonde followed after her with a slightly bemused glance, not before she was stopped by a desperate James Potter.

"Nola, please! In all my five years at Hogwarts, I've never been so madly in love with a girl as I am with her! You have to plead my case!"

The blonde patted the messy-haired boy on the arm. "James. I cannot change her mind. It doesn't work like that. Only Lily Evans will change Lily Evans' mind."

"But-but Nola Wyndham is Lily Evans' best friend!" was James' last, final plea.

"But Nola Wyndham is not very persuasive in the matters involving James Potter. Sorry." Disappearing down the hall after her angry friend, a very frustrated James Potter sat back down in his seat, closing the compartment door.

"What better way to start off sixth year then pissing off your favorite prefect, Lily Evans," Remus commented, lowering his book to shoot an amused glance at his friend.

"I just tried to kiss her! She acts like I have some kind of incurable lip fungus!" His hazel eyes widened and he quickly jumped to the window, concentrating on his reflection in it. "I don't have some kind of lip fungus do I?"

"That's bloody disgusting!" Sirius exclaimed from where he was seated, his feet propped up on the seat across from him where Lily and Nola had previously been sitting. Nola. Sirius shook the thoughts out of his head. She was one of his closest and oldest friends and the sad fact of the matter was, she was the one girl who had absolutely no romantic interest in him. Sure they'd tried dating. They'd been five at the time and they'd gone out for three days before Nola had dumped him because he'd stolen the last cookie from her. And that was the sad tale of their relationship.

Their families were similar. The Wyndham lineage was ancient and completely pure, not a trace of Muggle blood in it. They came from old money, passed down through the centuries. And they were blood elitists. The Wyndhams looked down on Muggleborns the same way the Blacks did and the Black and Wyndham lines had run parallel together for many centuries, so it was only natural that Sirius Black and Nola Wyndham had grown up together.

Not only was she not interested in him (because if she was? She certainly didn't show it or hint at it), she was off limits. And that had Sirius Black completely and totally intrigued with her.

* * *

Nola followed after Lily until she found the Prefect compartment, which was thankfully empty. Sinking down in her seat, Lily adjusted the gold 'P' on her chest and sighed.

"I am completely over James Potter and his arrogance. Him and his stupid friends! Why can't they just leave me alone!" she complained to Nola.

Seated on the other side, Nola chuckled amusedly. "He loves you, Lily! What can I say?" She looked down at her own 'P' before flicking some lint off the silver and blue tie she wore around her neck. "Anyways, let's go find Janessa and Dori. I have to go meet Evan in a little while." Lily wrinkled her nose at the thought of Nola meeting up with Evan.

"I can't believe you're even civilized to him."

"He's my fiancé," Nola said with a shrug.

Sixteen-year old Nola Rosaline Wyndham had grown up with her life completely planned out for her. She'd been born into a family that had pure lineage that extended farther back then she could even remember. Her family tree was immensely long (18 volumes to be exact, and still unfinished) and as soon as she'd been born, her life had been pretty much predestined to follow in her mother's footsteps; become engaged at birth to a wealthy, pureblooded son and become a mindless trophy wife. They already had a son who would carry on the line, so what good would a daughter do for them?

They immediately had her engaged to Evan Maximillian Rosier. The Rosiers were a family that had values that suited the Wyndhams well and they thought their lines would mix well. And they made sure she talked to all the right people. From the start, she had an instant group of people her age to grow up with. The Blacks. The Lestranges. The Rosiers. The Carrows. The Notts. The Montagues. The Parkinsons. The Greengrasses. All the pureblood she could dabble in so that when the time came for her to go to school, she would know who her friends were and who weren't. She was told at a young age that at 17, she would be married. She was polite to her fiancé. She sat with him and talked to him and held his hand. But what normal three-year old had a betrothed? It wasn't right, but it was Nola's life.

She constantly attended and was required to be at functions hosted by her parents or someone else's. She met all of the young children her age that would become her future social group. Bella. Narcissa. Alecto. Amycus. But Nola found she didn't connect with any of them. Sure, she was polite. But she never let them bully her into anything and Bellatrix didn't like that at all. She liked people like her sister and Alecto who immediately gave her something when they wanted it, or took things from other people for her. And Nola wasn't like that. She was the type of girl who pushed back, who started physical fights in the middle of parties, and who always had some kind of good retort. And then that's when she met Sirius Black.

It had been a long time ago. She was 4-years old and sitting in the backyard of the Carrows while their parents were inside having tea. Bellatrix had come out and tried to make Nola give up her spot on the swing. Eyes flashing, Nola had impulsively kicked at Bellatrix, knocking her over. The angry dark-haired child had then decided to gang up on her and, recruiting her sister to help, knocked Nola off the swing and tried to kick her while she was down on the ground, furiously trying to get back up and retaliate, but she was outnumbered. And then, a little black-haired boy had come out of the woodworks and pushed Bellatrix away from Nola.

"Get away from her!" Nola remembered him shouting angrily at his cousin.

"You can't protect her forever, Sirius," Bellatrix had told him haughtily before leaving, while Narcissa had merely rolled her eyes and followed after her sister.

And they'd been friends ever since. He knew all about her engagement. He found it disgusting that she'd been forced to get her first kiss from Evan. He personally found Evan rather snotty and annoying. He actually found the whole arranged marriage thing rather disgusting, and made sure Nola knew this too.

Yet he never got why Nola let her parents do this to her. Even when she went away to Hogwarts, she'd just merely accepted the fact that she was going to be in a loveless marriage that was purely done for the purpose of continuing a pure bloodline. It was so completely unlike her. And it pissed him off to no end that the normal Nola became so reserved around him. She was so fiery and passionate and impulsive. Her and Sirius would get into some of the worst arguments and then five minutes later, they were over it. Sometimes she would say or do things without even thinking about repercussions. She would make decisions without thinking about the consequences and someone almost always had to save her, that someone usually being Sirius. She was sometimes even more reckless than himself, and that was saying a lot. Yet she was one of the most caring, motherly people he'd ever known. She was the one who throughout all the years, always took care of them, was always at someone's bedside when they were sick, tutored them when they were doing badly in a class, or was just a good shoulder to lean on. Nola was a complex, complicated girl.

"See you guys later," Nola said to the three girls as she left their compartment to go meet up with Evan.

"Take your wand!" Lily yelled after her. Nola smiled to herself. She was just glad she'd met them. She found she didn't really fit in with the whole Slytherin crew.

Moving down a few compartments, she knocked on one of them and the door opened for her. Inside was her fiancé, Evan Rosier, along with Edward Nott, and Sebastian Montague. Evan glanced up and a standard smile appeared on his face, before he turned to his friends and nodded to them. Taking that as their cue to leave, Nola sat down next to Evan and he automatically put an arm around her as she scooted closer to him.

"How's Lily?" he asked. He knew that was her best friend, but absolutely loathed the fact that Nola chose to be friends with that mudblood girl. Her parents had warned him that she was going through a phase. That she claimed that she only went along with this whole thing if they just let her keep her life at Hogwarts. Stay friends with her friends, Lily, the Marauders, and especially Sirius. Not force her into any of this Death Eater business.

"She's good. Still on the run from James Potter," she responded, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Ah, of course, everyone knows about Potty's obsession with Evans."

"Lily," Nola corrected.

"_Evans _is a pretty girl. I can understand why Potty likes her," he said, emphasizing the 'Evans' knowing it irked Nola when he called her Evans instead of Lily.

"I guess." Nola shrugged and leaned her head on his shoulder more out of habit then anything. With Evan, she felt like she was already married to him. They'd been like this for several years at least and to the whole of the Wizarding population, Nola Wyndham was off limits and had been as soon as she entered Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It hadn't meant that she hadn't _tried _to exercise her new found freedom of not being constantly watched by her parents or some relative. And she'd paid the consequences for that. She'd remembered in their fourth year, Evan had discovered Nola in a broom closet with a fifth year Ravenclaw. Angered and outraged, he'd dragged her out by the hair, nearly killing the boy she'd been with. He'd taken her to an empty corridor and slapped her, calling her a whore and wondering what the whole of the school would think about his fiancée sleeping with other men. She'd run off to the only person she could; Sirius Black.

Her relationship with Sirius Black was complicated to say the least. They'd been best friends since they were five. Evan hated their relationship. It was so much deeper than hers and his. They'd vowed to stick together through thick and thin. She could never desert him, especially when his parents had disowned him. She was there for him, despite her parent's displeasure at having the estranged Sirius Black at their house when he would leave to escape the wrath of his mother. But there was something else there besides deep caring and friendship. She was in love with him. There was no question about it. And eventually, she just learned to hide away those emotions because there was no way she could be with him. He knew about her engagement to Evan and that it couldn't be broken. He'd even wanted her to run away together when they were 12. She couldn't do that, as nice as that sounded, because logically, two 12-year olds couldn't really survive in the real world together.

So when her parents demanded that she cease this friendship with Sirius after he became an outcast in his own family, she couldn't do it. She was a Ravenclaw and the gears were just turning in her mind as she turned it around on her parents. She informed them that if they wanted her to marry Evan and go on with this little fantasy life they had planned for her, they would continue to allow her to keep her own friends and her own life. Otherwise, she would find the contracts and burn them and end this whole miserable engagement, run away, marry a Muggle and stain the Wyndham line with impure blood. That had hit a spot in her father. So he'd allowed her to continue on with this life and she'd stayed with Evan, just as they all wanted. But Sirius could never understand why she stayed with Evan and she could never tell him why, exactly. It had been for him. If she couldn't be with him, she could at least be his best friend still and it killed her a little but she sought solace in Evan so she wouldn't feel so lonely sometimes, especially the nights when she found Sirius flirting with some new witch, toying with her hair, whispering delicious, naughty things in her ear that had her giggling like a schoolgirl. She would sigh and wish that she was that girl he would whisper all those things to, and then she would snap back to reality. She didn't want to just be another notch on his bedpost. It occasionally made her glad she had Evan. It was just... nice to have a bed and a warm body that she could go to when she needed it. It was their arrangement. They weren't allowed to date around with other people, but they didn't have to act like a completely normal couple. They didn't take long walks by the lake holding hands. They didn't have to be at each other's side all the time. Evan didn't walk her to class and carry her books for her. They would even see each other around school and barely acknowledge the other. They did meet for meals and talk about how their life was going and Nola found herself often in Evan's room when she was feeling extra lonely. Or sometimes he would ask her to meet him in an empty classroom and she knew exactly why. They had a strange arrangement, but this was how it was going to be until they were married.

* * *

"Where's Nola?" Remus asked Sirius as he finally set down his book, getting ready to go to the prefect meeting.

"Oh I don't know, probably off with that old toerag, Rosier," Sirius said dismissively.

"Alright, well we're supposed to go to the prefect meeting together." Finding his own 'P', he pinned that on his robes and opened the door, finding Nola outside with Evan.

Sirius happened to glance outside of the compartment and looked away quickly as he saw Evan kiss Nola, then look in the compartment and glare at Sirius. Evan gave her another lingering kiss on the cheek, as if to stake his claim on Nola in a way Sirius could never do, before heading off and Nola flicked some imaginary lint off of her robe before looking up at Remus.

"Ready to go? Lily is already over there, I'm sure," she said, not looking at Sirius right away.

"Yeah, let's go," Remus said, casting a glance over his shoulder before heading out the door. Nola poked her head into the compartment and looked at Sirius.

"See you in a bit Sirius," she told him, then smiled at James and then Peter. "Bye, you two." Then the door shut.

"Mate, you have got it _bad_," James told him with a shake of his head.

"Shut up, Prongs," Sirius muttered, snatching up the book Remus had been reading and pretending to busy himself with it.

"That's upside down," Peter mentioned from his corner. Sirius glared at Peter, and then James, and then flipped it the right way, going back to reading.

* * *

"Is everyone alright with the patrolling assignments for this month?" The Head Girl, Melissa Waters asked as she stood in front of all the prefects as they all crammed into the prefect compartment.

This meant that all the prefects were practically sitting on each other's lap. That or they were on the floor. Nola was currently squished between Lily and the 6th year Hufflepuff prefect, Amos Diggory. Sighing, she pushed her bangs out of her face as she agreed with everyone about patrolling assignments. The meeting felt like it went on forever as the Head Boy and Girl droned on about prefect bathroom rules (a pointed glance landed on Remus Lupin, who had the sense to look embarrassed for his friends and their late nights) being out late, reporting people who were out late and all the normal drone of being a prefect. Nola yawned from where she was standing, glancing out the window and watching the scenery fly by. She could tell they were close to Hogwarts. She already recognized the Scottish landscape. It was rather gloomy and unique.

"And that's all, any questions?" The Head Boy, Christopher Warrington asked.

Eager to get this meeting over with, everyone shook their heads and Nola elbowed Lily, whose hand had been ready to shoot up to ask a question.

"Later!" She whispered fiercely to Lily. "If I have to stand here watching Diggory oogle my goodies for five more minutes, I will hex somebody."

"I just wanted to know if we can give detentions," Lily commented with a frown.

The prefects filed out and all headed back to their own compartments, Nola headed back to the Marauder's compartment with Remus. They opened the door, finding Peter and James asleep and Sirius still awake, reading Remus' book.

"Oi, Nola, Moony!" he said to them, greeting them before handing the book over to Remus, inviting Nola to sit down next to him. "How was the prefect meeting?" Sirius asked the two of them, leaning against Nola as she pulled the latest issue of Witch Weekly out of her book bag.

"Boring. Annoying. Cramped," Nola answered before Remus could, flipping the magazine open. Remus gave an amused nod.

"That about sums it up. Alice Walker was on my lap for most of the meeting."

"Frank would've killed you for that one!" Sirius told him, a grin lighting up his handsome features.

"It wasn't my fault!" Remus held up his hands in his own defense. Nola giggled at their little exchange, turning the pages in her magazine.

"Nono—" Nola interrupted him before he could finished that sentence.

"Sirius! What have I told you about that awful nickname?"

"Uh, it's cute?" He tried to give her an innocent grin. She glared at him.

"What did I say about Nono, and Lala or anything that shortens my name anymore then it already is?"

Sirius frowned. "But I like them." Another death glare was shot in his direction. "Okay Non— la."

"What was that?" Her hazel eyes danced playfully from behind her magazine.

"Nola, sorry! Geez!" Sirius cried out in an exasperated tone.

"That's better," she told him with a sassy grin. Sirius merely rolled his eyes and tugged on a lock of her long blonde hair. "Oh, real mature, Sirius."

"Children, shut up," James muttered from where he'd been attempting to sleep but awakened by Sirius and Nola's petty argument.

"Whatever!" Nola told him, aiming her magazine at him. It hit him precisely where she wanted it to go; right smack dab in the middle of his forehead.

"OW!" he flew up, which caused Peter to wake up with a start, rolling off the seat. Sirius and Nola were laughing so hard, tears were streaming down their faces, and Remus was shaking behind his book.

"You wankers!" James yelled, rubbing his forehead and tossing the magazine back at them, causing it to slap Sirius across the face. A whole new round of giggles erupted from Nola and Remus could no longer hide behind his book as he bent over, cracking up. Even Peter was laughing from the floor at the shocked look on Sirius' face.

"Why you little-" Nola pushed him down before he could get up and retaliate against James, still laughing. Brushing tears away from her eyes, she looked at Sirius and then at James.

"Sit you two. Calm down. Let's not get expelled before we've even arrived at school."

Peter chuckled as he sat back down in his seat and the boys all relaxed again.

* * *

An hour later, the compartment door flew open and Lily Evans stuck her head in. Glaring at a currently sleeping James, she turned to Nola, who was reading her magazine, Sirius and Remus fast asleep on either side of her.

"Nola," she said. Nola glanced up at her.

"Yeah?"

"C'mon, let's go, train's about to stop and we should get our stuff ready in the other compartment."

Nola put away her magazine and moved Sirius and Remus' heads, which had been leaned on her shoulders, leaning them against each other instead. Picking up her bookbag, she glanced at James, who was fast asleep again. She looked at Lily, who grinned.

"POTTER!" she barked in his face before heading out of the compartment quickly.

"WHERE'S THE FIRE!" he yelled, waking up the other three boys and startling Peter once again. The cycle started all over again.

Nola slammed the door shut and skipped merrily down the hall, as she heard shouts and yelling coming from their compartment, mostly shouts of "JAMES!"

* * *

A loud beep was heard throughout the train and an announcement blared loudly in each compartment.

"The train will be stopping in five minutes. Five minutes."

And this was the beginning of sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

* * *

Alrightey guys, that's the first chapter! Reviews would be mucho appreciated : This is my first attempt at fanfiction in three years or so-ish so if you would let me know what you guys think :D


	2. Jealousy?

Nothing Like You and I

**Chapter II – **Jealousy?

Annnnnnd another chapter folks! They are finally back at Hogwarts. Hope you like this chapter!

* * *

"Merlin, this is heavy," James groaned as he dragged his trunk up the stairs, followed by Sirius, who was sweating like a pig with his own trunks.

"Um, are you serious?" Nola called from the bottom of the stairs, her trunk floating behind her as she stared up at the two boys with an incredulous look on her face. Lily came up behind her with her own trunks floating behind her and she nearly choked as she noticed Sirius and James dragging their trunks up the muggle way.

"James, how long have you been going to this school?" she asked him, eyebrow raised. James stopped lugging his trunk and left it on the step as he stared down at the girls, perplexed expression set on his features. He wiped some sweat off his forehead, Sirius following in his example.

"Oi, James, why didn't we think of that?" James asked Sirius.

"Because you guys are moronic boobs," the redhead supplied. Nola couldn't suppress a grin.

"Wow guys," Remus commented as he appeared behind the girls with his own trunks floating behind him.

"Hey shut up!" Sirius snapped, pulling out his wand and stomping up the stairs with his trunks behind him, nearly hitting James as he passed.

"Boys," Nola said with a laugh. "I'll see you guys later. I need to go back to my dorm. But I'll sit with you guys at the feast?"

"Yeah, okay, bye!" Lily exclaimed, kissing her friend on the cheek before bounding up the stairs with Alice behind her.

* * *

"Welcome to a new year at Hogwaarts!" Dumbledore's voice boomed from the table in front. "And a fresh new start, I assume, for some of our students," he said, his voice taking on a bemused tone.

"He's talking about you guys," Nola whispered to Sirius, who was currently staring hungrily at his plate.

"Nah. Dumbledore loves us," he replied distractedly, mentally willing food to appear on his plate.

"We can't use wandless magic yet," Nola said again in a hushed whisper, knowing she was annoying Sirius.

"The food is coming and I need to concentrate! Quiet woman!" Laughing at her best friend, she prodded him in the side, causing him to retaliate by squeezing above her knee. Nola nearly burst into laughter and James elbowed Sirius on the other side of them to keep them quiet, causing Sirius to let out an 'oof!' The whole table, which had been paying attention to Dumbledore, turned to look at Sirius who gave an innocent look and shrugged, then glared at Nola.

"I'll get you back for this," he muttered to her.

And then, finally, food appeared on their plates. Sirius began to scarf his food down, drowning his mouth with pumpkin juice as he shoved more food in his mouth, James doing the same. Lily looked at the pair with disgusted looks on her face and Remus looked amused as he slowly ate his own food, not one to 'scarf' like his best friends liked to do.

Meanwhile at the Slytherin table, Evan's glance would occasionally land on Nola, sitting with her friends at the Gryffindor table, before he tried to concentrate on something Bella was rambling on about.

"Are you even paying attention to me?" the brunette snapped, waving her hand in front of his face. Evan rolled his eyes.

"Yes, Bella, the wedding. Rodolphus. Heard it all," he muttered, watching Nola again, who was sitting next to Sirius Black. He whispered something in her ear and she threw her head back and laughed jovially, causing Evan's eyes to narrow, then soften. He could never make her happy like that.

"So when's the wedding?" Alecto asked, following Evan's gaze to where it was resting on Nola.

"After seventh year," he answered absentmindedly, stabbing his steak with his fork rather viciously.

"Whoa there tiger," Alecto laughed, watching him stab the meat. She stroked his arm with one finger, causing him to turn and glare at her. She withdrew her finger and glanced at Bella, who looked at her and then immediately snapped into action.

"Doesn't it bother you that your fiancée is so chummy with that traitor _Sirius Black_?" she asked him, her voice dripping with disdain at the mention of her estranged cousin, Sirius.

"She's too stubborn to even listen to me," Evan answered with a shrug.

"I never thought I'd see the day Evan Rosier was whipped," Sebastian commented from where he was seated.

"Well, friend, I guess you'll be happy to know that that day _still _has not happened." He glared daggers at his friend who was merrily digging into his mashed potatoes. "We just…" Evan faltered, trying to figure out how to word what he and Nola had, "have an arrangement," he finally finished.

"What kind of arrangement?" Narcissa asked curiously, joining in on the conversation and looking intently at Evan.

"A mutual agreement," he responded mysteriously, a frown covering his handsome features.

"Meaning he gets to hit that whenever he wants," Sebastian said with a sneer.

"Oh, so that's who I keep hearing in the middle of the night," Edward said, elbowing Sebastian with a laugh.

"We're not a couple. I don't require her to be by my side all the time, but-"

"But you two are betrothed!" Bellatrix interrupted.

"But," he continued where he left off, "I require her to be intimate with me, which she hasn't complained about." Evan smirked about that, Edward and Sebastian chuckling next to him. "In return, I let her be. She has her friends and refuses to part with them but she upholds her end of the agreement so there's not much else I can do, at least until she turns 17."

"So you _are _going to marry her then?" Bella concluded.

"I fully intend to. She has never denied me so far."

"Well, you'd better hope she isn't tainted by that traitor's blood by the time she turns 17," Bellatrix said with a smirk, her gaze focused on Nola across the room. Evan turned just in time to see Sirius gaze at Nola and then plant a rather large kiss on her cheek. Just the sight of that made Evan's blood boil and he stood, intending on taking Nola away from that filth.

* * *

"Sirius, you're such a freak!" Nola exclaimed, wiping mashed potatoes off her cheek, hoping that ignoring Sirius' taunts would get him, not her, in trouble. Besides, she wasn't even at the right table and she _was _a prefect after all. It would not be appropriate for her to squish some peas into Sirius' well done mane that he prided so dear and near to his heart. Whoops!

"NOLA! That is hideous behavior for a prefect!" Sirius cried out in outrage. A few seconds later, his pumpkin pie had made impact with the side of her face, causing her to screech and slap him.

"Okay, okay!" He conceded, staring at the side of her face thoughtfully before giving her a huge kiss on the cheek. "Truce!" He smacked his lips together. "I just love pumpkin pie."

Nola made a face at him and took out her wand and pointed it at him, causing his eyes to widen before she laughed and simply spelled her face clean. In the process of picking some peas out of Sirius' hair as he complained why she couldn't just get it out magically, she felt a presence behind her and nearly fell out of her seat when Evan appeared behind her, looking rather stoic and unphased at the fact that his fiancée was picking peas out of another boy's hair. _A boy who she so happened to be in love with_.

"Nola. Will you accompany me to my dorm?" he asked rather bluntly, making it clear what he wanted from Nola. Sirius whipped around, his eyes instantly narrowing and he stood up, facing Evan.

"Listen here, Rosier, she doesn't want you, you sodding git and she certainly doesn't want to-," He was interrupted by Nola getting in between them as she'd noticed Evan fingering his wand.

"Stop it, that's enough from the both of you," she said, putting a hand on Evan's chest and pushing him back gently. Turning to Sirius, she met his gaze, her hazel eyes pleading with him to just let it be. Sirius sighed, wanting nothing more to take Nola in his arms and get lost in those beautiful eyes of hers. Instead he closed his own grey eyes, blocking out Nola from his gaze, but not from his mind, before opening them again and nodding. She gave him a grateful smile before turning back to Evan and putting her hand in his arm, leading him off.

"That guy bloody disgusts me," Sirius muttered, thinking of ways he could get Rosier back for that little stunt he'd pulled on Nola. How dare he! Just demand that Nola just get up and follow him! His fists clenched underneath the table as his thoughts drifted to Evan's hands all over Nola. It made him want to go crazy. Instead, he took a few deep breaths. James patted him on the shoulder.

"It's alright, mate."

"Yeah, she knows what she's doing," Lily said from across the table, trying to reassure Sirius, though they all knew what exactly was happening right now. Then she wrinkled her nose at that thought, and the thought that her and Potter had actually agreed on something. James wiggled his eyebrows at her.

"Lilyflower?"

"Shut it right now, James."

* * *

"Evan, that was rude of you to interrupt me at dinner," Nola said with a frown as Evan lead her into Slytherin and straight up to his room.

"Nola, we have an _arrangement_," Evan drawled out, tugging her into his room and shutting the door behind her, locking it. Then he pressed her against the door, his hand coming up to stroke the soft skin of her cheek. "I hate seeing you with that stupid oaf of a friend," he murmured, looking down at her.

She was still frowning as she turned her face when he tried to kiss her. "He's my best friend, Evan. Our arrangement includes you allowing me to have my friends and my life," she practically spat out.

Evan rolled his eyes, then scooped her up bridal style and carried her to the bed, dropping her on it.

"Fine, fine, fine. Now stop talking," he ordered, wrenching the curtains around his bed shut.

* * *

"Advanced Double Charms, Transfiguration, Double Defense, Advanced Arithmancy, Advanced Double Ancient Runes, Advanced Potions, and Double Herbology," Nola read off of her schedule, sitting at the Ravenclaw table for breakfast, her roommates Janessa and Dorcas looking at their own schedules. She sighed as she noted who all her classes were with. Charms with Gryffindor. Defense with Hufflepuff. Runes with Gryffindor. Herbology with Slytherin.

"Nola," Sirius said, sliding into the seat beside her and dropping his timetable in front of her before reaching for hers. She handed it over and glanced over his, swirling around some orange juice in her goblet.

"Brill! We have Charms, Runes, Potions, and Arithmancy together. You can help me study for my O.W.L.S now!" It was awesome having a best friend who was a Ravenclaw. She was the only one who could make him sit down and study since he never did such a thing on his own.

"Maybe you'll luck out and fail a class. Have a piece of humble pie," Dori commented with a wry smile.

"The great Sirius Black never fails," he proclaimed arrogantly, taking his timetable from Nola again, kissing her on the cheek and heading back to Gryffindor. Nola watched him go with what could be described as a wistful glance.

Janessa shook her head at Nola and Sirius' denial over each other. They were obviously into each other but neither of them could see it.

Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor table, Sirius had happened upon James trying to ask Lily out – again.

"NO POTTER, I will not go out with you!" she exclaimed.

"Just one date! C'mon Lily! Lilyflowers?"

Lily let out a frustrated groan and turned to Alice for some help who merely grinned at her and went back to talking to Frank. "Some help you are," she muttered under her breath. She looked across the room and spotted Nola, who was grinning at her as well. She frantically tried to signal her best friend over to help her out. Nola, getting the message, headed over.

"James, leave Lily alone," she commanded, sitting next to Lily with a muffin in her hand.

"Nola, this is between me and my Lilyflower."

"I am _not_ your Lilyflower!!"

"Lily, baby—"

"Evans! Call me Evans! And I am _not _your baby either!"

"Evans, James, shut up!" Sirius finally said from where he was stuffing his face with pancakes.

"Thank you!" Janessa proclaimed, walking up to Lily and motioning for her to follow them. "We're going to get going to class now."

"Coming Nola?" Dori asked as Lily got up, green eyes flashing as she glared at James.

"No, I'll walk with Sirius."

The three girls headed off and Nola nudged Sirius with her foot. "C'mon stud, let's go to class."

"Alright, alright." Guzzling down his orange juice, he nearly choked, forcing Nola to pound him on the back.

"Maybe you should slow down?" she asked with a bemused smile, watching Sirius cough. Eyes watery, he turned to her and grinned.

"Not on your life." Sirius turned to James. "Oi, James. I'll meet you later for the planning of," he paused, glancing around to make sure no one was listening, which of course, everyone was, "PLAN B," Sirius whispered fiercely. James nodded excitedly, nudging Peter who grinned at the two of them. Nola rolled her eyes. Everyone knew what 'Plan B' was. Plan B was the first prank of the year.

"You'd think you guys would come up with a cleverer name that everyone doesn't already know?" Nola questioned as she adjusted her bookbag, Sirius following after her, still trying to cram some toast into his mouth.

"It's all part of the plan, love," Sirius said cheekily, wrapping an arm around Nola's shoulders.

They entered their first class together, Arithmancy. Sitting next to each other, Nola noticed Evan sitting across the room and sighed, glancing at Sirius. Evan glowered at the two of them and just as Nola expected, a note landed on her desk a minute later.

_Come sit with me? –E_

Nola frowned at the note, then looked up at Evan and shook her head. She took out a quill and answered back.

**I'm already sitting with Sirius, Evan. **

_I know that. Obviously. But I would just enjoy class more if you would sit with me. –E_

**Well, maybe next time.**

Evan looked annoyed and class started. Nola took out some parchment so she could take notes. But she found herself distracted by another note from Evan. He could be very persistent when he wanted to be.

_Fine. Study with me tonight?_

**Something tells me you're not talking about the kind of studying that is done in the library. **

_This kind of studying can be done in the library too if we're quiet._

**Evan!**

_I can't help my needs._

**That's disgusting. Talk about desecration of the library.**

_Nola._

**Evan.**

_Please._

**No.**

_That wasn't a question. That was a command._ Her brow furrowed at that. She hated when he pulled that 'command' bullshit on her.

**Just leave me alone tonight. You already had your fun today.**

_Fine. I'll let you go this time. Do you need anything… else?_

**I'm almost out of contraceptive potions.**

_Wouldn't want you knocked up, though the thought of you carrying my son, well, I don't even need to finish that sentence._

Nola made a disgusted noise and Sirius snatched up the note before she could even take it back and his brow furrowed as he read the note over. Scribbling something on it, it landed on Evan's desk.

_**Leave her alone, you sick fuck. Honestly, it's bad enough she has to be at your beck and call for every one of your demented little needs. She isn't your personal whore.**_

_Ah, Black, don't be jealous because I have everything you want._

_**You don't even know what you're talking about.**_

_Please. It's rather obvious you have feelings for Nola._

_**Shut the fuck up.**_

_Ah, no denial on your part. Does she know?_

_**I don't think that's any of your fucking business.**_

_Well, that's cute. A secret crush. Unrequited love at it's best._

At this point, Nola snatched up the note, but Sirius snatched it back, crumpling it up and burning it before she could read it and know. He didn't want her to know.

Her gaze flew between Evan, who was smirking, and Sirius, who was busying himself with taking notes. Nola sighed quietly and went back to taking notes.

After class, Nola lingered outside, waiting for Sirius, who tried to rush past her. She grabbed his arm.

"What was going on in that note between you and Evan?" she asked curiously, eyes boring into his. Sirius found himself mesmerized by her intense gaze and before he could stop himself, his hand was already pushing a blonde lock of hair behind her ear, stroking her jaw lingeringly.

"It doesn't matter, Nono. I'll see you later today." He hurried off before she could question him anymore. Nola shook her head, sighing and heading in the direction of her next class. Sirius could be so confusing at times.

She went to their next class and Nola went and sat with Lily. One of Lily's best subjects was Charms so it paid to have her as a partner. Plus she noticed James had been trying to work up the nerve to occupy the seat where Nola was now sitting. With a defeated frown, he went and sat next to Sirius, who was currently brooding at his desk, toying with his quill.

"What's going on, mate?" James asked. "Don't tell me. Nola."

"Partially. More like that stupid prat, Rosier."

"I think it's time for a prank," James suggested slyly.

"James Potter, I like how you think."

"Sirius is being really weird today," Nola commented, making sure she didn't turn around and look at Sirius, which would've made the fact that she was talking about him rather obvious.

"Why, what happened?"

"In Arithmancy, Evan was trying to get me to come sleep with him tonight and Sirius saw the note and he wrote a note to Evan. I don't even know what it said but it got Sirius really frustrated and he started avoiding me after that."

Lily clicked her tongue and sighed, glancing at Sirius, who was busy whispering conspiratorially with James Potter.

"I don't' know, No. Maybe you should focus more on your friendship with Sirius, then your feelings for him."

"I'm trying here! He makes it hard! When I ran into him after class, he had this look on his face and he tucked some hair behind my ear."

"Nola. Earth to Nola." Lily snapped her fingers in front of the blonde's face to get her attention. "Sirius does that to every girl he likes or flirts with. Maybe he's so comfortable with you that he thinks you won't look into it that much when he does it—which you already did."

"Well!" Nola started up, opening her mouth and then closing it as the Ravenclaw was left utterly speechless.

Lily looked triumphant as class started. Anything between Sirius and Nola was impossible with the arrangement that Nola had with her family. Any type of romantic notions would have to be nipped in the bud immediately, more for Nola's sake than anything.

* * *

Sirius was furious with this whole situation so he decided to just put Nola completely out of his mind. Or at least try to. He'd already concocted a BRILLIANT prank to play on Rosier and his stupid Slytherin friends, Snivellus included in this (how could they forget him!) and he was currently flirting with a little brunette who had found her way into Sirius' lap that night. Her name was Carly and she was a sixth year. He was currently smirking at her, letting her bat her eyelashes at him and twirling a strand of her hair around his finger.

"Did you really?" Sirius heard a voice ask and recognize it as Lily's.

"I did," another voice answered who Sirius instantly recognized as being Nola. She had that 'I've just had sex' sort of husky voice that could make the hairs on Sirius' arm stand at attention, as well as a few other things.

"And then?" Alice giggled.

"Well, then we-," Nola stopped short as her eyes fell on Sirius snogging a girl in his lap. She swallowed visibly and then turned back to Lily who raised an eyebrow at her. Alice looked a bit confused and Nola had to force herself not to run back out of Gryffindor and to her bed. Instead, to show it didn't bother her, she sat down on the chair next to Sirius and his new snogging partner. Clearing her throat, she stared pointedly at Lily and Alice, who sat on the couch near her. Nola then continued her story, chattering on happily as if her best friend was not on the couch next to her with his tongue shoved down some girl's throat.

Sirius found it hard to concentrate on Carly with Nola sitting so close to him. He wanted to reach over and touch her. Instead, he peppered little kisses down Carly's neck, causing her to emit a small noise and Nola to raise an eyebrow at him. Opening her mouth to remind him to get a room, Remus and James got to it first.

"Oi, Padfoot! Get a room!" James yelled at Sirius. The pair pulled apart and Carly looked flushed and Sirius' gaze immediately flew to Nola before looking at James and Remus.

Remus came and sat down with the girls as James plopped down on the arm of Nola's chair.

"Ladies, what are we talking about?" James asked, his arm resting on the top of Nola's head, She shoved it off, causing him to lose balance and conveniently fall on top of Nola's lap. "Well, this is cozy," he commented with a smirk.

Nola rolled her eyes. "Off, James."

"But I'm comfy," the messy-haired boy whined.

Sirius had finally decided to join their conversation, but Carly was still sitting in his lap, which was completely awkward for Nola.

"Oi, James, off," he commanded.

"Just as soon as Carly over there gets off yours," James told him, snuggling in to Nola to rile up Sirius. Nola snorted, trying to move his head so that his hair wasn't in her mouth.

"James, watch it!"

Meanwhile, Sirius was trying to ease Carly off of his lap. She would pout at him and kiss him and he would let her stay. Finally Nola got annoyed with this whole situation.

"Tart," she said, addressing Sirius' little fling, "get off his lap or I'll drag you off myself. In case you didn't notice, I can't really breathe with James cutting off my air supply."

Carly gave Nola an indignant sniff, glared at her and then got off Sirius' lap. James finally vacated her own lap and she could finally breathe again. Lily was giving Nola an odd look again and Nola looked confused.

"So, uh, the Cannons are playing in a couple of weeks!" James finally exclaimed to break the awkward silence. "We should get tickets."

"Uh, not everyone here has money, James," Alice commented with a laugh.

"Well, we could all pitch in a little bit and buy a box?"

"I'm sorry, I'm more of a Harpies fan," Nola insisted.

"Oh me too!" Carly exclaimed, interrupting their conversation. Nola's head whipped around so fast, Sirius thought it would snap right off her neck. But the feisty blonde didn't say anything, just got up and straightened out her skirt.

"I'm going back to Ravenclaw. Good night everyone." She went and hugged and kissed everyone good-bye. Everyone but Sirius. She just glanced at him and then left.

Sirius jumped up a minute later and ran after her, leaving Carly in a huff.

"Nola, wait!" he called, slamming the portrait behind him and spotting a flash of gold as she disappeared around the corner. Sirius went after her and found himself facing the tip of a wand. He breathed a sigh of relief when he noticed it was Nola's.

"Hey, put that down," he said, chuckling nervously. "I still want to live to see Snivellus' pants fly off in front of the whole school." Nola put her wand down. "C'mon, I'll walk you since I'm such a chivalrous chap."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night," Nola finally said, breaking her momentary silent treatment, a small smile gracing her features.

When they arrived at Ravenclaw, she kissed him on the cheek and gave him a hug, Sirius wrapping her up in a bear hug.

"Good night, thanks for walking me, Siribear."

"Yeah, no problem, Lala." He patted his best friend on the head like a doggy and ran off before she could say anything.

He was such a card, that Sirius. Nola rolled her eyes and stepped into the portrait, exhausted from the day's activities.

* * *

And that's another chapter! Tell me what you think ! I love love love reviews!


	3. Tangled

Nothing Like You and I

* * *

**Chapter III**

* * *

Tangled

Ah reviews! I thrive off of them and while I'm supposed to be studying for my finals, my muse keeps pounding on my brain, so alas, I must give you lovely people another chapter. Keep those reviews coming! And there is some sexual content in this story. Evan, that horny son of a gun ;D

OH and for some clarity, I made a mistake in the last chapter. Sirius mentioned that Nola could help him study for his O.W.L.s now that they had classes together. I meant to say N.E.W.T.s. ALSO, Alice is of course, the future Mrs. Longbottom and Dori is Dorcas Meadows. I realized that could get a little confusing. ANYWAYS. On with the story!

* * *

"Hurry up in the shower, Dori!" Nola yelled, pounding on the bathroom door, dressed in only a bathrobe. If there was one thing Nola hated about rooming with Dorcas was that she hogged the shower like no other. "Dori!!"

"I'm hurrying!!" Dorcas called out faintly. Nola gave up, going back to her bed to find something to wear for the day. Hogsmeade days were always tedious affairs. They were supposed to be her day of freedom. Instead, she spent most of them with Evan. She couldn't deny the small pleasures she got being on his arm. She got many looks of jealousy, especially from Evan's female friends, who had never been able to snag Evan, who had always been completely untouchable. He showered her with gifts, bought her whatever her heart desired and spoiled her like she was the love of his life.

Her feelings for him were mixed to say the least. Sometimes she couldn't stand him. Sometimes she liked him. Sometimes she didn't get him. He was so mysterious and elusive but she had a feeling he had feelings for her, hence why he was so possessive with her. She could tell by the way he looked at her or by looking into his eyes. It was some form of vanity that possessed her to make sure she looked her best for Evan. If she was going to resign herself to being a Rosier, she at least had to make sure she looked good. What did Sirius have that Evan didn't? Passion? Spontaneity? Her heart. Evan had everything and yet, he lacked Nola's love. He was wealthy, handsome, came from a good line and was approved by her parents, yet she didn't love him. Yes, she liked him. Yes, she tolerated him. Yes, she couldn't deny he was good in bed. But he wasn't Sirius. And that plagued her and would probably continue to plague her into her old age.

The shower finally freed up and Nola went to go get ready. Evan was waiting in the common room for her when she came downstairs and his eyes lit up when he saw her, though he tried to hide this by donning a mask of indifference.

"You look nice," he commented, leaning forward to kiss her cheek. Evan couldn't deny that his fiancée was sexy. Because she was. She was sultry and alluring and had hooked Evan with that first kiss. Well he supposed their second kiss. Their first kiss had been when they were 8 and Evan's mother had practically made Evan do it. It had been rather sloppy and gross because Evan had misused his tongue, causing Nola to scream and run off. But the second kiss? Well that had been.. amazing and left him wanting more. It had been their third year and he'd cornered her in a compartment alone. The thirteen-year old was discovering the joys of sex and hormones and he rather enjoyed the feeling of Nola's body pressed into his. That was, until she screamed about something poking her in the stomach, leaving a mortified Evan Rosier. Bringing himself back to the present, he let his gaze rake over her. He wanted nothing more then to carry her to his room and have his way with her right then and there. Instead, he resigned to taking her hand, her fingers lacing through his, making them look like an actual couple. Patting her on the rump with an arrogant smirk, he laughed at Nola rolling her eyes. "Come along, darling. Let's get some coffee."

* * *

"Well, are we off?" Lily asked Dorcas, Janessa, and Alice as they waited for the Marauders. "I swear, they're just like girls."

James came running downstairs, spotting Lily. "Lily!" he shouted, seeming to instantly burst into a nervous sweat.

The three girls burst into laughter as Lily glared at James. Sirius, Peter and Remus soon followed after and the group left for Hogsmeade. They all split up, Lily, Janessa, Alice and Remus heading off to Honeyduke's and Dorcas, Sirius, James, and Peter heading off for Zonko's.

It wasn't until they passed Madame Puddifoot's that Sirius noticed a very familiar couple coming out of it. He swallowed when he noticed that it was Nola and Evan. He hated when Nola went out with Evan because she always looked so God damn sexy when she did and she made sure of it. Today wasn't any different. Her hair was blow dried straight and she was wearing a tight long –sleeved sweater shirt that dipped low in the front, showing a hint of cleavage. A pair of jeans graced her long legs, followed with a pair of boots. He tried to pretend like he hadn't seen them but Dorcas had already spotted the pair and was heading over, James and Peter following after her, making Sirius look like an idiot, so he caught up with them.

"Getting her any good gifts, Evan?" Dorcas asked with a smirk, knowing of Evan's habit to spoil Nola senseless when they went out. Evan held up their clasped hands, revealing a beautiful leather watch, studded with diamonds that was wrapped around Nola's wrist.

"I tried to stop him from getting it but he insisted," Nola said with a small grin, not noticing Sirius yet until he stepped out from behind James to peer at the watch. Her grin faded. Evan, being the ever astute Slytherin, noticed this and let go of Nola's hand, his arm wrapping around her waist to pull her closer into him. She smelled like vanilla and cinnamon and her hair smelled like pears, he noticed.

"Anyways, we should let you guys get going," Dorcas finally said, feeling the tension between Sirius, Nola, and Evan was a bit too much for them to handle.

"Uh, Nola, you should come join us at the Three Broomsticks," James said, aiming the invitation at only Nola.

"Why not!" Evan answered for her with a smirk, causing Nola to look at him with a frown. He never wanted to hang out with her friends.

"Are you sure?" she asked him.

"Yes, Nola, darling. You know how I love to get to know your friends." And just to push Sirius' buttons, he cupped her face, turning her towards him and planting a lingering kiss on her full lips, smirking at Sirius as he straightened up. James held Sirius back, who had started to move forward with a slightly outraged expression. Nola took Evan's hand and waved good-bye to all of her friends, letting Evan tuck her arm into his, and walking away quickly, not wanting a fight to start between the two.

* * *

"Four butterbeers, Madam Rosmerta," Sirius ordered, eyes twinkling as he flirted shamelessly with the owner of the bar. "And how about throwing in a firewhiskey while you're at it?"

"You're cute Sirius, but not that cute," she told him with a jovial laugh, pushing over the four butterbeers he ordered.

Sirius headed back over to the table, setting the four mugs down as they waited for the girls and Remus to show up, as well as Evan and Nola, which Sirius wasn't looking forward to.

Outside were the mentioned couple, but they weren't waiting to go inside. They were, instead, in an alley behind the pub, snogging their brains out. Nola had insisted they go meet her friends and Evan had given in until they had gotten to the front of the pub. Then he'd pulled her into an alleyway and pushed her against the wall and Nola never really could deny him, could she? At least when it came to sex.

"Evan, we're going to get caught," Nola panted out as she fumbled with his belt buckle, he trying to get her pants undone. He looked at her before claiming her lips in a searing kiss, Nola's knees nearly giving out. His hand slid up her shirt, trailing over her stomach before caressing her breast gently, causing her to moan into the kiss. He needed to get her to a bed, but fearing she wouldn't let him, he'd chosen a wall as a temporary location to relieve the growing erection he'd had around her all day. She was a minx, Nola was. She did things on purpose, like pressing her hips into his while trying to put a book away in the bookstore or brushing his groin while they'd been having tea, or playing footsie with him, bare foot grazing his thigh and then his erection. He couldn't stand it but Merlin, he loved it.

Finally he managed to get her pants unbuttoned and pushed her pants down to her knees, nearly ripping her knickers off in the process. She'd already divested him of his pants long ago and he hauled her up by her arse, pushing her into the wall and causing her to groan as she wrapped her legs around his waist. He teased her, the tip of his manhood dallying at her entrance, rubbing slowly until she finally begged him to fuck her, her hips rocking into his tantalizingly. With one swift movement, he pushed into her tight, wet heat, causing her eyes to fly open as she was pushed into the wall once again, a loud moan escaping her lips before she could stop it.

"Shhh," he murmured, willing her not to say anything as he drove into her. It took everything Nola had not to moan and groan, though she did let out a few gasps and sighs, her head tipped back against the wall as he continued to push into her hard and fast, the feel of her around him driving him insane with want.

"Baby, come for me," Evan groaned into her ear, pushing deep into her. He moved her up so he could push deeper into her, and couldn't take it anymore, almost at the edge. She felt that familiar growing tension and then crying out his name, her release, drawing his own climax out of him. Carefully he set her down, pulling out of her and kissing her. Nola sighed, running her hands through her thoroughly messed up hair as she put herself together, watching Evan pull up his pants and boxers.

"You're a mess," she commented wryly. "And you couldn't have waited till we had gotten to a bed?" Nola could feel the marks on her back from rubbing against the brick wall so hard.

"I could say the same about you." Evan ran a hand through his hair, before pulling Nola closer and fixing her hair for her, smoothing the stray locks down. He cupped her face with both hands and kissed her with a tenderness that shocked the hell out of her. "Plus you're a bloody tease. You can't have expected me to have waited till we got all the way back to Hogwarts, did you?"

She let her glance fall on his face before moving it downwards and then she reached up to fix his dirty blonde hair, smoothing it down as best she could. He smiled and kissed her forehead. It was times like this when Nola couldn't really understand what Evan was thinking. He could be so rough and controlling with her and then could turn around and be the most tender and sweet bloke ever. She didn't get how he worked, sometimes.

"We should get inside," she said, letting go of Evan and causing him to let go in turn. "My friends are probably waiting." Nola glanced at her watch, twirling a strand of her long, blonde hair. Evan wrapped a possessive arm around her shoulders once more, leading her inside, looking forward to gloating with Sirius around.

Meanwhile, Lily spotted Evan and Nola walking in, Nola looking a little flushed, which naïve, innocent Lily blamed on the heat. Waving them over, Nola plopped down on the only two seats left at the table, in between Janessa and Sirius. Sirius glared at Evan next to him before downing his butterbeer. A pregnant pause had settled in amongst the group since Evan and Nola had joined them.

"We were just talking about who we think is going to be Head Boy and Head Girl next year," Remus piped up to get the conversation ball rolling again.

"James thinks he's going to be Head Boy," Dorcas said with a small snort.

"I am! You watch!" James exclaimed, causing all four girls at the table to roll their eyes.

"What accomplishments have you made here at Hogwarts that would possibly qualify you for Head Boy?" Nola asked. "Wreaking havoc on poor, innocent bystanders doesn't exactly count."

"I don't just play _pranks_," the messy-haired boy protested, looking at Remus and Peter who shrugged and then at Sirius, who jumped to his rescue.

"We're making the general experience at Hogwarts better for students everywhere. Laughter is the best medicine after all. James and I and the rest of the Marauders should receive a Nobel Prize for the charity we've bestowed on the general Hogwarts population," Sirius replied smoothly, always being the best bullshitter.

"That's the biggest bunch of bullshit I've ever heard in my life," Nola told Sirius, raising an eyebrow, her expression completely dead pan aside from that.

"Your mom," Sirius muttered, stuffing some nachos in his mouth.

"That's real mature, Sirius," she retorted.

"Alright, alright, kids enough. Uh, Evan, how about you treat us to a round?" Janessa interrupted with a wink in Evan's direction. Evan looked surprised.

"Uh, yeah, sure." He got up to go get them a new round of drinks. When he left, Sirius groaned.

"Nola, why'd you have to bring him with us? He's such a drag," he whined.

"Bugger off, Sirius. That _is _her fiancé, after all. Just because you don't like it-," Lily told him, when she was interrupted by James.

"Speaking of fiancés, Lily," he practically shouted, coming to Sirius' rescue before Lily outed Sirius to Nola, "what do you think about James Jr. for our first child?"

"In your dreams, Potter!" the redhead exclaimed angrily.

Nola couldn't help laughing from where she was sitting just as Evan sat down with a fresh round of drinks, though this time he had firewhiskies instead of butterbeer. "I have to say, that's a little bit creepy," she commented, looking at Evan when he came back with drinks they weren't allowed to legally drink yet. "How'd you get these?"

"Connections," he replied with a smug expression.

"Good connections, darling," Nola said with a grin, reaching over to grab one as Evan leaned over to kiss Nola on the cheek. Everyone was already busy with drinking their own firewhiskies. Everyone but Sirius, who was brooding.

The night went on as per normal with the group laughing and having a good time, James and Sirius sending remarks Evan's way and Evan always smoothly having a retort. In return, he always made sure to stake his claim on Nola and rub it in Sirius' face as well.

* * *

"I still don't understand this equation," Sirius complained to Nola. This had to be one of the few times Sirius ever was in the library. When he'd walked in to meet Nola, people had stared at him with completely shocked expressions. One girl had tripped over her own shoelaces staring at him, her books flying in all sorts of different directions.

"Here, let me explain it," she said, pulling over a piece of parchment and bending her head over to look at the Arithmancy book, blonde hair falling over her shoulders as she chewed on her bottom lip in concentration. Then, scribbling something down, she pushed the parchment over to him.

"Here, you just carry this over here to this. This symbol equates to this number, making this 13. Then you take the square root of the whole thing. And then it equals 7, which is the magic number," Nola finished. She glanced at Sirius, whose eyes looked a little glazed over. Laughing, the blonde sat back in her seat. "No wonder you got a Dreadful on your Arithmancy O.W.L."

"Well that was because you wouldn't tell me what number you were going to write about for the numerology essay part."

"That's because I studied. And you didn't."

Sirius rolled his eyes, leaning back in his chair and propping his feet up on the table, arrogant smirk present on his face.

"I passed all my other exams anyways."

"Barely!" Nola scoffed. "You got all Acceptables and a shocking Outstanding in Defense Against the Dark Arts. I didn't see that one coming."

"Alright, Miss Outstanding," he mocked. "You're insufferable!"

"I'm merely a hard worker."

"And a know it all."

"Oh shut it! Study or something. Don't just sit there looking stupid."

Sirius smirked, folding his hands behind his head, intending on taking a nap instead of sitting here bickering with Nola. It was a daily routine of theirs, to bicker. He wasn't sure how many times they'd been compared to the likes of a married couple. She was feisty and he was arrogant, which was definitely not a good combination, except in their case, for some reason, it worked. They were like another version of Lily and James, except Sirius wasn't wandering around pining after Nola. At least like James pined after Lily.

He picked up the parchment where Nola had written down the problem and began to doodle on it, putting up the appearance like he was doing something. He even took the time to wink at a few of the girls around the library, but was suddenly interrupted by Nola's voice.

"Do you remember that time we played a prank on our mothers?" Nola asked with a slightly amused smile, hazel eyes flickering up to Sirius. Yes, folks, there had been a time where Nola Wyndham had been down to play a prank on someone, especially people as unwilling as Walburga Black and Calliope Wyndham. Sirius' smirk grew even more as the memory came to him.

* * *

_Nola had come running down from her room where Sirius was waiting. Their mothers were meeting at Nola's place for tea and Nola was wearing a new dress her mother had gotten for her, though there was a fresh red mark on her cheek as well as a few dried up tears._

"_What's wrong?" Sirius asked, frowning at his best friend, who was staring defiantly up the stairs._

"_Nothing. Mother just got mad at me cause I wanted to play with you outside in my new dress."_

"_Oh." Sirius scratched the top of his head, black hair falling into his eyes as he glanced at the stairs and then back at Nola. "Well, we'll just stay near your mum." His gray eyes twinkled mischievously. "Mine too. She's been acting like a right witch today." He pulled up the sleeve of his jacket, revealing an Indian burn on his right wrist. _

"_Are you suggesting we prank them?" Nola asked with a raised eyebrow. She immediately stared at the door of her father's study where Romulus was working and then her gaze flicked back to the dark-haired boy in front of them "Let's do it."_

_The pair whispered conspiratorially to each other, sitting on the stairs and plotting out a prank that would have their mothers with rage. Nola was sure she was going to get more then a slap to the face after this one but all she'd wanted to do was play with Sirius and she couldn't even do that._

_The ladies all sat around in Nola's backyard, sipping tea. Calliope spotted Nola and Sirius and beckoned Nola over harshly. _

"_Nola. Evan is over there, why don't you go play with him?" she asked, pointing in the direction of where Evan was sitting with Bellatrix. Nola wrinkled up her nose, narrowing her big hazel eyes at her mother._

"_I want to go with Sirius."_

"_You will go over there," Isolde told her, gritting her teeth, her fingernails digging into the skin of Nola's arm._

"_STOP!" she screamed, wrenching free and running in the opposite direction before shouting, "Now, Sirius!!"_

_Sirius flew out from underneath the table, which had been conveniently set on top of an ant hill that no one but the kids knew about. All of a sudden, thousands, if not millions, of angry ants crawled out in swarms, crawling up onto the table, ladies legs and really anywhere they could go in their panicked state._

"_SIRIUS BLACK!!" Walburga yelled from where she was standing on top of the table, trying to escape the ant._

"_Quick, let's get out of here," he told Nola, grabbing her hand and running as far away from the house as they could._

"_ROMULUS!! GET THAT TWITTERPATTED LITTLE GIRL OVER HERE NOW!!" Nola could hear her mother yelling for her father as they ran out the front door._

"We got punished rather badly for that one," Nola said with a laugh, the memory coming back to her like it had just been yesterday.

"Yeah," Sirius said with a grin, a slight grimace overtaking his features. "My mother punished me till I couldn't even see."

"You? My father pretty much beat me up that night. If it wasn't for Tristan stepping in and making him stop, I would've been pretty much.. gone." Sirius remembered that. Nola had had a black eye the next day and several bruises from the whole experience.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair and looked thoughtful. "Our parents blow, don't they?"

"Definitely, but at least we have each other."

Sirius liked the sound of that. He liked being something for Nola that Evan couldn't be. And that was a rock. A support. A pillar of strength. Evan had never suffered like Nola and Sirius had. He'd always gone along with mommy and daddy's wishes and was the perfect little pureblooded child. He couldn't understand Nola like Sirius could because he'd never been beaten within an inch of his life. He'd never cried himself to sleep naked, shivering on the floor, too sore to even be able to get up. He'd never had to clean up his own wounds because he wasn't allowed to go to St. Mungo's. All these things, Sirius had experienced and he knew Nola had experienced similar things. He watched her and then his glance went back to the paper in front of him when she looked up at him.

"Well? Back to work!" she ordered, turning a page in her Charms book.

"Yes ma'am!"

* * *

REVIEWS PLEASE. Sorry it took me so long to get this chapter up! I, like you, just want this story to come out of my head at a rapid rate but sometimes life doesn't want me to :( But if I get reviews, you guys might get another chapter! –EYEBROW WIGGLE-


End file.
